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Senator says minority senators were denied the floor on special-order calendar; urges collegiality
Summary
A senior senator, using a point of personal privilege, said minority-party senators were not allowed to speak during consideration of a special-order calendar on March 31 and urged colleagues to restore practices allowing minority participation. The remarks prompted several colleagues to echo calls for collaboration.
On a point of personal privilege, a long-serving senator told the chamber she had never before seen minority-party senators denied the chance to speak to the chamber during a special-order calendar. She said the absence of floor recognition on March 31 effectively silenced "over 1.2 million citizens" whose senators were not permitted to speak and urged the majority to restore traditional recognition and fairness.
The senator framed the occurrence as historic, described frustration with being shut out, and asked the body to change course. Later floor colleagues echoed similar concerns and urged renewed cooperation as the session moved toward adjournment.
The exchange did not produce a formal procedural change on the floor at that time, but senators used the moment to signal a desire for more collegial handling of calendar management going forward.
